Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;thetis&#39;

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named ‘THETIS’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date AUGUST 19-24; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] ‘THETIS’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural season flower date around AUGUST 19 -24; blooming for a period of 5 weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant ‘THETIS’ is a seedling resulting from the open pollination among groups of chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout Holland in August 2000. The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Rijsenhout Holland. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

[0003]FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

[0004]FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

[0005]FIG. 3 shows the petiole and foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Chrysanthemum morifolium. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, Holland under natural day length and temperature and planted week 22 in 2000 And 2001. The natural blooming date of this crop was AUGUST 19-24 (week 34). The average height of the plants was 26 cms. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and an orange center blooming for a period of 5 weeks. From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘THETIS’ is ‘DREAMY TRACY’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9772). When ‘DREAMY TRACY’ and ‘THETIS’ are being compared the following differences are noticed: The differences of ‘DREAMY TRACY’ and ‘THETIS’ are (I) Flower color (A) at immature stage. ‘THETIS’ has greyed-orange inner ray-florets, while those of ‘DREAMY TRACY’ are completely yellow. (B) At mature stage. The color of ‘THETIS’ is more intense yellow. (2) Natural flowering date. ‘THETIS’ flowers earlier than ‘DREAMY TRACY’.

[0007] The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘THETIS’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in This description is: The Royal Horticultural Society color chart, edition 1995. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of cultivar ‘THETIS’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.7 cm, height 0.9 cm Outside Color Yellow 13 A Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bracts among disc- Not present florets Involucral bracts color Green 138 B Bloom Type Decorative (pompom) Height Medium. 1.5 cm Size Small. Fully Expanded 3.5-4.0 cm Number of blooms per branch Approx. 5-7 blooms per branch Performance on the plant 5 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey- brown 199A, 1½ mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of the flower (disc- Immature yellow 13A with greyed- florets) orange 170 A at the tips Mature yellow 12A Color of upper surface of Immature inner ray-florets greyed- the ray-florets orange 170 A, outer ray-florets yellow 12 A Mature (all ray florets) yellow 12 A Color of the lower surface of Yellow 12 A the ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with yellow flowers and an orange disc Color of the upper surface Yellow 12 A after aging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 130-140 Cross-section Concave Longitudinal axis of majority Reflexing Length of corolla tube Medium. 0.4 cm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 1.2 cm Ray-floret width 0.6 cm Ratio length/width Medium Shape of tip Rounded Disc florets Disc diameter 0.7 cm Distribution of disc florets Numerous, visible at mature stage Shape Tubular Color Yellow 13 A Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen (present in disc florets Thin. 3 mm in lenght. only) Stamen color Yellow-green 144 A Pollen Sometimes present Pollen color Yellow 7 A Styles Thin Style color Yellow-green 144 A Style Length 4 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 144 A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Shape When grown as spray type pot mum, out- door mounded and round. Growth habit Spreading Growth rate Moderate Height 26 cm Width 38-40 cm Stem Color Yellow-green 147 B Stem Strength Strong Stem Brittleness Present Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Absent Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 11-12 cm Lateral branch color Yellow-green 147 B Lateral branch, attachment Brittle Branching (average number of Good with 7-8 breaks after pinching lateral branches) Peduncle length 4.5-6.0 cm Peduncle color Yellow-green 147 B Natural season blooming date AUGUST 19-24 Foliage Color Upper side yellow-green 147B Under side yellow-green 147C Size Medium.; length 6.5 cm, width 5.0 cm Quantity (number per lateral 8-9 branch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Be- Acute tween Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Truncate Apex Mucronate

[0008] TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘THETIS’ ‘DREAMY TRACY’ Color of the upper surface of Greyed-orange Yellow 8 A the inner ray-florets at an 170 A immature stage Color of the upper surface of the Yellow 12 A Yellow 8A inner ray-florets at a mature stage Natural flowering date August 19-24 September 20-27 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 